sonic youth interview (rock express)

[watashiwanachodes]

open question: are/were they drug consumers?

[ShaneMacgowanFan93]

@watashiwanachodes In the biography Goodbye 20th Century they talk about smoking pot, but I don't think they were ever, like, junkies or acidheads or speed-freaks or anything like that.

[watashiwanachodes]

@ShaneMacgowanFan93 i always tought they were/are since their music is so psicodelic and trippy. and by looking at them in concert thurston and lee and kim and steve they always look totally wasted/out of control

like the sunday video for example 

[bobzechikon]

@watashiwanachodes they were never really drug users

[watashiwanachodes]

@bobzechikon ok fine its a shock to me i used drugs because i thought they were cool and used them..

i guess i was just being stupid isnt that right?

and they ARE cool btw

[MissNinue]

Hehe, please don't be sad.

[koolguy1029]

nevermind, found out after listening to washing machine again

[MissNinue]

Shame on you for not knowing immediately.

[koolguy1029]

@MissNinue

im sorry :(

[koolguy1029]

what song are they playing at the begining

[Robinhoodarch]

Lee dosen't get the attention he deserves. Whenever Kim Or Thurston have vocals, they turn the freakin lights out on his side! I've seen this happen alot at their concerts. I love you guys but you got to let Lee shine a bit more. Daydream Nation had THREE of his songs on it, and look how that turned out!

[Bobjb999]

Kim says "we don't really do drugs, or drink, or anything". But Thurston has said an attractive aspect of the early CBGB scene was a variety of easily obtainable drugs was available there.

And in a 1991 interview with the idiot-interviewer Nardwuar, findable on YT, Lee & Thurston are asking if he has any "doobage", 'cause they'd like to "smoke some bones".

-Maybe Kim means by "really", that they don't do hard drugs, or anything to excess.

I'm not sure she meant they are now tea-totlers!

[Bobjb999]

Lee Renaldo's best singer of the bunch,imo. But Thurston's & Kim's singing is too often almost throw-away,as if they don't care about singing on key,or even close to it!There are exceptions to this,proving they CAN sing when they try.Aside from beautiful geetar noise,SY also write fine melodies.Luckily melodic SY comes through on guitar,if not in singing!

If only they placed more importance on singing, the way they do on perfecting guitar sounds,I suspect SY would be a much bigger selling band!

[fungamesss]

@Bobjb999

Yeah I've been struggling to really get into this band because I hate the vocals so much..

[Bobjb999]

@fungamesss SY doesn't treat guitar playing as a joke,but too often they treat singing as a joke,sadly.This irritates me more with time,not less.Kim's worst offender,Thurston 2nd. A drunk homeless woman randomly pulled off the street could sing better than off-key-Kim does 70% of the time.Lee Renaldo should sing all their songs instead of just a few.He's the only one who tries 100%.Or else SY should become an instrumental band like the Ventures or Shadows of the '60s.SY could be much greater..

[nick4man3]

@Bobjb999

I agree to a certain extent, especially Kim, she's had some seriously questionable songs. On their last 2 or 3 albums, I don't think that was the case. The Eternal, Rather Ripped and Sonic Nurse all had great vocal outputs by everyone. I think the lyrics are their biggest downfall. A lot of it's pretentious nonsense. None of that ever bothered me though. I think there are things that Sonic Youth get away with that no other band could. It's their intangible qualities that define them.

[Bobjb999]

@nick4man3 I agree SY's lyrics are too often deliberately oblique & obscure to the point they communicate little or nothing too meaningful. They some times demonstrate they can sing when they want to (e.g. Kim's voice on "Kool Thing" is pleasantly restrained, instead of that irritating feeble-shriek thing she often opts for) . Similarly, they've demonstrated they can write affecting & comprehensible lyrics too when they want to. (e.g "The Wonder"). But it's too bad they don't usually want to!

[nick4man3]

@Bobjb999 Without a doubt. I think that's sort of the point, though. They came from No Wave NYC, so taking the piss out of the seriousness of music is half the battle for them. I think that's why I can listen to Sonic Youth, but if it were any other band I'd pass. There's a degree of understanding that is required when it comes to Sonic Youth, which is what makes them so legendary. A seemingly stupid band actually requires a certain level of intellect.

[idealtypical]

@nick4man3 I -"...but if it were any other band I'd pass. There's a degree of understanding that is required.... A seemingly stupid band actually requires a certain level of intellect."

Wait, & you were just throwing around the phrase 'pretentious nonsense'? With respect, what is your rationale for calling SY a "seemingly stupid band"? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you like SY & that you're defending them, but your aesthetic characterization seems to be based on some weird assumptions.

[nick4man3]

@idealtypical

Because their lyrics are nonsense. I thought we covered that already?

[lloplop]

can anyone please tell me what song is playing at 6:28?

[fetology]

It's the end of "Bull in the Heather"

[lloplop]

hey thanks a lot. I got everything they recorded at once, so a little overwhelming to find my favorite songs!! they are all good, but this song is particularly amazing!

[septip123]

Whenever my friend goes off about how bands need to dress up and wear outfits, I always quote Lee and Thurston. They look like college kids, BUT THEY KICK ASS!

[septip123]

I saw them in Northampton and I was mad sick. When I left the show I was happy and no longer sick. Thanks Sonic Youth for driving out the demons.

[septip123]

Kim and Thurston were on Gilmore Girls. It was funny shit.

[son1cyouth]

damn starfield road is insane live

[spacebase00]

What's the song that Ranoldo is singing?

[gurafarsa]

Thats Saucer-Like from Washing Machine.

[EmptY666666]

anysound you are too stupid to understand that kind of music, sound and all "lifestyle"...and what you dont understant, you hate it..and i am over you, beacause i understand you, beacause you are so stupid that its impossible to be more stupid, and with all my consciousness i can say that i hate You, stupid dull moron..have a nice fuckin clean organized plan day with sweet nice understanding sounds from radio.

[anysound521]

i did not write that and i never would write that

my freind did-sigh-

but i love sonic youth

[anysound521]

this band is so shit. the music doesn't make sense. and that bitch bass player looks like a crack whore. this is stupid

[Cx203]

thats why theyr famous and actually got to play show with nirvana back in the day hmmm, i dont know but i alot of people dig sonic youth, simple, melodic, and also sorta grungy, you dont have to look like a fucking barbie doll to be famous thats the late 80s early 90s generation music, wouldnt mind if we get that shit back now days.

[anysound521]

just so people know i did not write that

my fuckhead freind did

i love sonic very much

[ZiggyZen]

Great interview. Great live footage. I wish i was born a lil earlier.

Kim: "We don't REALLY do drugs or drink or anything..."

Really?

[amgsux]

I was a bit incredulous, too. Really? SY don't do drugs?

[ZiggyZen]

I mean, we've all heard Providence from Daydream Nation.  I believe Mike Watt says in that phone message to Thurston "You gotta lay off the mota, man"

[shasta723]

yeah i what would i know, but ive heard that some of sonic youth stuff was influneced by drugs, but who cares, still some of the greatest music ever made

[Bobjb999]

Right. How about the line from a song from Daydream Nation, whose name escapes me:

"Sometimes we freak, and laugh all day".

-Sounds like a reference to psychedelics, perhaps 'shrooms, which many people find stimulates laughter.

[shasta723]

yeah that song was called eric's trip, NOT "Sonic Youth's Trip"

[Bobjb999]

Ah yes, but rumour has it Thurston's freakin' nick name/alter ego is "Euphoric Eric"!

[shasta723]

did not know that

[Bobjb999]

Hey, don't believe every rumour you read... It's a "rumour" I made up on the spot just as a joke in answer to your post. I didn't intend for it to believed as a possible fact!

[Robinhoodarch]

The "Eric" refrenced in the song is a refrence to Eric Emerson, who monologued in an Andy Warhol film about an acid trip. Most of "Eric's Trip" is Lee's interpretation of the monologue.

[cactaceous]

Pot is not a drug. They used to be big potheads but doubt they still smoke after they all got kids.

[son1cyouth]

make list of ALL the sonic drugs.

you seem to know it.

[J0IEJ0IEJ0IE]

The first song is Washing Machine, then Saucer Like (both from "Washing Machine"), third one is Startfield Road, fourth is Bull In The Heather (both from "Experimental, Jet Set, Trash and No Star"), and i don't know about the last riff.

[SugarOver]

last one in the ending of junkie´s promise ;)

[sonofthestork]

hey can someone tell me what that song is?

[velvetrevolution4u]

I saw them on the Washing Machine tour in a club. This footage comes the closest of any I've ever seen that captures what it was like being there. No other footage I've seen on Youtube even comes close. They were AMAZING on that tour! They were MESMERIZING!!!!!

[joe11121]

i wish i lived in europe, they play a bunch of awesome concerts and stuff on tv there.

i live in canada here they only play like pop stars or canadian artists(barely) on tv, they needa get better stations here, if i owned my own station...

[zeecount]

We need more bands like this to prevent the mainstream being overtaken by disposable pop music.

[joeowens994]

hell yeah, im sick of that "i kissed a girl" bullshit cause it soulds like shit

[DiabloReventon90]

THANK YOU!!!! thats so fucking true wat the fuck is this music coming to? people don't have that internal struggle to drive them to inspirational music anymore. all these new musicians come from a spoiled fucking life and her no sense of creativity." i kissed a girl and i liked it" what is this amauter hour?

[DOAJAM]

Well said....sick of record companies trying to push shit music down our throats...Long Live Real Music. Sonic Youth are class.

[GrungeRockabilly]

@zeecount Fuck the mainstream!

[kolonico]

Ahhhh, classic Steve

XD

[nicohappysad]

Merci!

[minedarea]

They're keeping progressive rock alive.

[d00derson]

they're keeping all music alive, along with others.

[neirboeilatan]

washing machine

[crappingtaco]

what song are they playing?

[velvetrevolution4u]

to crappingtaco:

They are playing the 2nd part of the song "Washing Machine" off the "Washing Machine" album for the 1st 1/3 of this video. Then they it's "Saucer Like" off "Washing Machine" as well, then "Starfield Road", then "Bull in the Heather" off "Expiremental Jet Set Trash and No Star.

[jeff3209]

I'm quite critical about music, but I love Sonic Youth. They've remained true to their name, always evolving.

[benandkasia]

@jeff3209 - I agree - although the 'Youth' part of their name is starting to wear a wee bit thin.

[simpleheartedskater]

@benandkasia

you know i almost thought that too, until i realized they are as radical now then they've ever been.

[jas22]

@jeff3209 im sorry to say - ive sampled their songs from their last FIVE albums. i havent liked an album since "Experimental Jet Set...". it kills me, but i find them so boring. do you like their last 4 or so albums? id LOVE to get them, but i dont enjoy what i hear. even "murray street" i have so much trouble getting through. what a snoozer.

[idealtypical]

@jas22 - Sorry for piggybacking onto your conversation, but have you checked out A Thousand Leaves? One of my favorite SY albums EVER. Not sure exactly what it is you find boring about other recent albums, but if you like it when SY is kind of raw & sprawling, capable of epic gorgeousness & even tenderness, 1000 Leaves is well worth your time. Personally, I loved Murray Street, but it's definitely 'tidier' somehow than some of my other faves (eg EVOL), although Lee's song has that noise section.

[jas22]

@idealtypical you dont have to apologize! but its cool that someone still has manners :) "thousand leaves'? no, i hadnt really listened to that one. what i will get next is: "Evol", and "bad moon rising". i might have had 'evol' years ago and had it stolen, i think. "the eternal" i do like, actually - i heard most of it on youtube.

[rstanca]

Thank you!

[ausseratem]

more of that stuff please!!!

[velvetrevolution4u]

This footage and performance is INCREDIBLE!!!! I saw them in a club in '95, and this really captures the whole feel so well (strobelights and all). Does anyone out there have this footage of the whole gig (not just little snippets)?

[velvetrevolution4u]

Nothing beats the feeling, though, of what it was like to actually be there in that jam PACKED club in '95. It was MESMERIZING to say the least. I walked out of there trembling. I took a good friend to the show with me who didn't know anything about S.Y., and he was uterly BLOWN AWAY by them and became a HUGE fan. Sonic Youth is the greatest band in the world, and the greatest of the last 25+ years.

[vacuumnoise]

awesome vid thanks for posting

[IamIgnatiuspreilly]

fucking punk rock is sonic youth..

[CRYLOR]

true true

[mildredpierce1]

Lee on a Les Paul!!!

[theoremru]

наконец-то и Питере! дождалсо

[garagedancer]

die, guitars, die!

[tompasthlm]

Starfield road!!!

[grgrgrgff]

what a voice! utter shite

[rafael28]

kim is like whoah!

[musicglenn]

covers the mid-90's period which is not well represented on you tube. cool little video.

[darkminerva18]

yeah washing machine i think is their most mature album

[edpanda]

sonic tooth > everything ever